


The Talk

by Mawgon



Category: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Genre: Gen, Sex is mentioned, implied sexual violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 04:56:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8190938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mawgon/pseuds/Mawgon
Summary: In the dark of his bedroom, Maia finally gathers the courage to ask what the hell he is to do on his wedding night. Kiru Athmaza might not be the most qualified to answer such questions, but she does try.





	

The room was dark. Not a sound was to be heard but the soft breathing that indicated that his nohecharo was, indeed, guarding him. 

“Kiru”

“Serenity?”

Of course she was awake and listening. How could she not? “We understand that you are a cleric of Csaivo?” Stupid boy! They had discussed this at length, it had been an argument in her favour!

“Yes, Serenity.” Her voice sounded ... careful. 

And careful he must likewise be, to not give a false impression of his intentions. “We surmise that you have a detailed knowledge of the ... er ... the body.”

“Indeed, Serenity. Anything in particular you want to know?”

“We are aware that, being celibate, you may not be the most qualified to answer our questions, but ...” At least she was a woman. He was not entirely sure that his male nohecharei were any more experienced than he was. And he would not have dared ask Beshelar in any case. “ ... as we would have as few witnesses as possible to this conversation, and our nohecharei are present at all times ....” He cleared his throat. “We are not quite sure how to phrase this but ... is there any aspect of the, er, female anatomy that we should know of, in order to accidentally hurt our empress in the wedding night?”

“Serenity.” Kiru sounded surprised. “As you already surmised, we can say nothing of the act itself.”

He waited. 

“However. There is something ...” She hesitated. “We trust you to never tell anyone else about this ...”

Maia held his breath. Had Kiru broken her vow of celibacy, once? What else could be so scandalous, that ...

“As you know, Serenity, the expectation is that the bedsheets will be stained with blood the morning after the consummation of your marriage.”

“Blood?!” he squeaked, forgetting all dignitiy. 

“Ah. Then you did not know? Yes, blood. It is common knowledge that a virgin will bleed when a man ... enters her.”

Maia clutched his pillow. At least it was dark, and his face dark enough to not be seen by the faint light. 

“The common knowledge is that there is a piece of skin, that will be ripped apart in marital intercourse, and bleed copiously. However. We could not help but observe that, while most brides bleed on their wedding nights, this is not always the case. We have also observed that some brides who did not bleed are, in fact, physically intact where common knowledge has it they should not.”

Kiru hesitated. 

“Do continue.” It was horrifying, but there clearly was something she wanted him to know. 

“Serenity. We could not help but notice that the wives of more ... considerate men tend to report less pain and less bleeding both in their wedding night and after.”

Maia blinked. He was not sure what she was getting at. “I would not hurt the empress. But you tell me I - we have to?”

“That is why we would keep this matter strictly confidential, Serenity. Hurt, there must be, as there needs to be blood. However, blood is blood, and is red regardless of its origins. There are hair ornaments that contain needles. One can prick one’s finger accidentally.”

“Oh.” He released a breath he had not been aware he was holding. She had told him how to cheat. “Well. That is quite a relief.”

“We are glad we could be of service, Serenity.”

“However, we have to admit that we are confused as to where this ... piece of skin, is located.”

“It is deeper inside the body than people tend to believe.”

“But what ... what do people believe?” He sighed at his own pathetic question. “We have to admit that the extent of our knowledge was gathered from cheap novels and observing the breeding of horses. Cousin Setheris merely told us to never get naked in female company.” 

“Serenity.” Kiru sounded shocked. 

“Plainly speaking, we have not taken a vow of celibacy, but our past would be no different if we had.” It was a relief to be finally able to talk about it. “And we have no idea what to do on our wedding night. We understand that we can spill blood in a way we are used to, but how to make it ... believable?”

“You know not even the ... mechanics?” 

“We have some idea of ... of what goes where.” He hesitated. This would explose the whole extent of his ignorance, but Kiru would not judge. She was not Beshelar. “We cannot imagine how it is not ... painful. How goes one about being ... considerate?”

“We shall talk to the future empress, if your Serenity can arrange it. We believe that the details of explaining this are best left to her.”

“But the wedding night ...” Appearing ignorant in front of Csethiro was alright, but ...

“Will be witnessed. We are well aware. Some blood and ... other stains on the sheets will suffice. It will be expected that she will lie on her back and you will be on top of her. We have been told that this position is not preferred by all women, but in case something can be seen through the curtains, that is what would be expected.”

Maia nodded. Armed with at least this much knowledge, he felt much better. Attempting to do it like horses would probably have exposed him to ridicule. And he had some idea what other stains Kiru was talking of. The kind of stains he had always been very embarrassed about at Edonomee. And now ... not for the first time he reconsidered whether it would really have been so bad to name Idra his heir and be done with it. But the boy had done nothing to deserve this, and someone would have to beget a heir. 

“We are the first emperor to have a nohecharo. Can we not change some other traditions, too?”

“It is not our place to offer advice on that”, Kiru replied hesitatingly. “However ... if circumstances arise under which a change seems desirable to many people – such as the lack of suitable candidates for your nohecharis – then perhaps, things can gradually be changed.”

“We are sure no one particularly wishes to witness our wedding night.” Or that of his father, or his grandfather. 

“Serenity.”

“Have I – we – said something stupid?”

“No, Serenity. Not stupid. Innocent. The legitimacy of a heir is of the utmost importance.”

“To whom?”

“The heir himself, mostly. If there had been the slightest doubt as to your own legitimacy ...”

“We see. Yes. The first attempt to remove us from the throne would have come much earlier. But the things you have told us ... it seems that those proceedings do not prove legitimacy so very safely ...”

“They do not”, Kiru said softly. “Yet the noblemen believe it to be so. We cannot fathom what they would do to their wives and daughters if they did not believe that ...”

Maia swallowed the bile that had risen in his throat. “We understand. And we will not speak a word of it to anyone. Except ... Csethiro?”

“We will tell the future empress what we have told you.” 

“Good. We thank you.” A change that seemed desirable to many people ... how could he make it so that no one wanted to witness his wedding night?

Perhaps he ought to discuss matters with Csethiro. While the details would be improper to discuss, such a general topic as how to get more privacy might be just about appropriate. If Kiru was the only guard present.

**Author's Note:**

> I have read several things about hymens that seem to contradict each other. Some say a hymen might be damaged by horseriding, some say that it won't even break during intercourse, but just stretch, and some say it will always remain intact and/or present, because science. 
> 
> I find myself somewhat confused, and hope I have gotten this correct enough as to not grate on the nerves.


End file.
